1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, image-forming devices, such as electrophotographic copying machines or printers, perform the following processes during image formation. First, the surface of a latent image formation region of an electrophotographic photoreceptor is electrically charged uniformly by a charging member while the electrophotographic photoreceptor is rotated. Then, the latent image formation region is irradiated with a laser beam according to an image pattern to form a latent image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor. Toner is deposited on the electrophotographic photoreceptor according to the latent image. Then, the toner is transferred to a recording medium. Then, the electrophotographic photoreceptor is wiped with a cleaning blade to remove a deposit including residual toner.
The cleaning blade is a plate having almost the same length as the electrophotographic photoreceptor. An edge of the cleaning blade is pressed against the electrophotographic photoreceptor to remove a deposit including residual toner from the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
When a deposit is removed with the cleaning blade, the friction between residual toner particles or between the cleaning blade and residual toner can generate static electricity. Electrostatically charged toner stays in upstream region of the cleaning blade in the rotation direction of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
The static electricity built up on the residual toner may be discharged to the electrophotographic photoreceptor substrate. Thus, a photoconductive layer or a surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor may be damaged (discharge breakdown). Accordingly, there is a need for a high-quality image-forming device that can prevent the discharge breakdown.